Cost Effective Decorating Tips For First Time Home Owners
Congratulations on the purchase of your home. It is
an exciting time for you. We’re sure that you are
anxious to get started decorating.
Think about the future use of furniture you purchase.
Before you dive into decorating your new home,
here’s a few ideas on ways to do it while keeping
your decorating budget reasonable.
If you currently have an unfinished basement but
have plans to finish it one day, will the furniture you
purchase for your living room be able to go down the
staircase to the basement? Will the style work in that
environment?
Wait until you move into your home and live there
for a few months before you buy anything.
Before buying new, consider other options for
obtaining furniture.
By living in your new environment you will easily
get a sense for what you have and what is missing.
When you are ready to purchase, you will only be
buying items you need vs. want.
Garage sales, on-line sales, gifts from family and
friends, consignment shops, and Habitat For
Humanity Re-Stores are all excellent sources for cost
effective furnishings.
Quality (not quantity) is the key in terms of
purchasing furniture.
Consider the following when using these sources:
Can the item be repainted or re-stained? Can the
handles or feet be easily changed? Can the item be
used for another purpose eg. bedroom dresser used as
a dining room buffet?
Seek durability vs. price whenever possible. Also
seek timeless looks vs. being on trend so the items
don’t go out of style before they wear out.
Try to ensure, whenever possible, that furniture items
you purchase solve more than one need.
Look for double duty items to maximize usage eg. a
leather hinged ottoman can act as a coffee table (tray
placed on top), extra seating, and a storage unit.
Consider whether material on furniture can be easily
changed when worn out.
Reupholstering furniture can cost a lot of money and,
in a lot of cases, does not make sense vs. the value of
the item that was purchased. Look for furniture pieces
that can easily be modified (eg. chairs with
upholstered separate seats that can be unscrewed
from the frame) or furniture with standard sizes so
that slipcovers can be used in the future.
Consider what furniture pieces you can make vs.
purchasing.
For example, headboards are one of the easiest
furniture items to make vs. purcahsing: wood,
padding, fabric, long gold or silver thumbtacks, a
hammer, and glue are all the items that are usually
required.
Lighting is key to make any room appear bright and
beautiful.
Ensure that there are at least 2 table lamps in every
room along with overhead ceiling lamps. Use warm
white energy efficient light bulbs to minimize
electricity costs.
Use accessories to add colour and style to your home.
Use pillows and throws to update the look of your
current furniture or bedding. Buy pillows with zippers
so the inserts can be reused in the future with other
covers. These items can easily be changed seasonally
to provide a new look or if you get tired of the current
look.
Artwork can easily be created vs. bought.
Garage sales are great places to find picture frames.
Framing family photos is easy. Displaying them in
unique collages on walls adds interest to any room.
Stock photos (purchased on-line), pieces of
wallpaper, family collectibles or artifacts from
travels/vacation can also be used to fill picture
frames.
Buy/use quality paint and primer.
You can also create your own art by adding splashes
of colour to a blank canvas to match pillows or other
accessories in any room.
Paint is one of the most cost effective ways to
decorate a home. However, you do not want to have
to paint more than once every 5 years or so.
Use vintage items in new ways to decorate.
Good quality paint, such as those provided by
Sherwin Williams, will make the transition from one
colour to the next easier and will wear well over time.
For example, use china bowls or teacups for storing
jewelry or makeup items, a champagne bucket as a
planter and a brass or silver teapot as a bird house.
Always start with a decorating plan.
If your home is brand new, wait at least one year
before painting to allow for nail pops to come out.
Otherwise if you paint right away you will find that
you will need to do touch ups over time.
When starting out, use neutral paint colours to cover
all walls.
Why do chefs use white plates for their meals? They
do so because the food “pops off” the plate when
displayed on a neutral background.
A neutral palette will go with just about anything. It
will also highlight the artwork and accessories you
display in any room.
Only use 2-3 paint colours for the entire home.
Your home will look more unified and take on a more
designer look if you only use a few colours. Also,
you can save money by buying paint in bulk
quantities.
A well-devised plan will keep you on budget and help
you progress towards your decorating goals. A plan
will also help you make the right choices the first
time and avoid costly mistakes.
Hiring a decorating consultant is a great investment
and way to develop your plan. Most will work with
what you have and set goals for 2-3 years out. Also
most consultants have access to wholesale suppliers
with discounts that they are willing to pass on to their
clients.
Laurie Usypchuk is a Decorator/Certified
Colour Consultant®, Certified Canadian
Staging Professional® and owner of
❤Love This House, a Home Staging
Services† company. For more information
about decorating and developing a plan for your
home
contact
her
at
416-949-1195
or
[email protected]